"We will establish a new high-end imported car business, "We will establish a new high-end imported car business. The business is like a start-up incubated within GM, focusing on niche market segments, enjoying a high degree of autonomy, and is a completely independent business unit that responds quickly to the needs of the Chinese market. "Specific information about products and sales channels of the import business," will not be disclosed at present. At the specific business level, we will also cooperate with the joint venture company, and the high-end imported vehicles and the existing mass production models of SAIC-GM will effectively complement and develop together. ”
In the future, GM will continue to increase investment in electric vehicles and autonomous driving, and accelerate the launch of more electric vehicle products. "By 2025, we will launch more than 30 electric vehicles worldwide, of which more than 20 will be introduced to the Chinese market. By then, our electric vehicle production capacity in China is expected to reach 1 million units. ”
At present, the international situation is turbulent, the "lack of core" has not yet eased, the rapid rise in raw material prices and other negative factors, so that the global automotive industry is facing unprecedented uncertainty, but also let the company's strategic decision-making face great challenges and tests. As a traditional multinational auto giant, how will GM's global strategy land in the Chinese market? What will GM focus on in China this year? On the morning of March 4, Julian Blissett, GM's global executive vice president and president of GM China, held a "cloud" conversation with the media, including China Economic Network.
GM Global Executive Vice President and President of GM China Company Courtesy of The Company
Bai Li said bluntly, "We will establish a new high-end import car business." The business is like a start-up incubated within GM, enjoying a high degree of autonomy and a completely independent business unit that responds quickly to the needs of the Chinese market. ”
At the third China International Import Expo in 2020, Bai Li once revealed to the reporter of China Economic Network that "GM has plans to turn the exhibits at the Expo into commodities in the form of imports." ”
"The products exhibited at the Expo represent a diversified lifestyle and have received positive feedback from consumers." GM's high-end import business in China will focus on niche market segments to meet the growing diversified lifestyle needs of consumers, Bai Li said.
Specific information on products and sales channels of the import business will not be disclosed at this time. We are currently recruiting people from all walks of life, covering various fields such as fashion, sports, user experience and so on. We want to build a passionate and creative team to work with us to create a new imported car business. "At the specific business level, we will also cooperate with the joint venture company, and the high-end imported vehicles and SAIC-GM's existing mass-produced models will effectively complement and develop together." ”
Compared with the high-end imported car business that is being built, GM's electrification project will usher in a harvest period this year. "We expect to deliver Cadillac LYRIQ to the Chinese market in the third quarter of this year. Since then, Buick and Chevrolet will also launch Aoteneng models," Says Patrick confidently, "the flexible nature of the Aoteneng platform allows us to quickly develop a wide range of models." At the global level, we have released products such as the Cadillac LYRIQ SUV, the GMC Pure Electric Hummer Super Pickup, the Chevrolet Silverado Pickup, the BrightDrop Logistics Vehicle, the Cruise Origin Self-Driving Shared Car and more. ”
GM's electric vehicle strategy in China is a "two-pronged approach", in addition to the Aoteneng platform, its joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling has launched the GSEV global small pure electric vehicle architecture platform a few years ago. According to the data, the cumulative sales of related products based on the GSEV platform have exceeded 750,000 vehicles. Among them, The Wuling Hongguang MINI EV is currently one of the best-selling electric vehicle models in China.
Photo courtesy of Bo Li Enterprise
In the future, GM will continue to increase investment in electric vehicles and autonomous driving, and accelerate the launch of more electric vehicle products. According to Bai Li, the GM China Forward-looking Design Center and Forward-looking Technology Research Center in Shanghai are rapidly expanding, doubling the number of software engineers and designers to accelerate the development and application of electric vehicles and autonomous driving technologies. "By 2025, we will launch more than 30 electric vehicles worldwide, of which more than 20 will be introduced to the Chinese market. By then, our electric vehicle production capacity in China is expected to reach 1 million units. ”
In the field of autonomous driving, GM will continue to pursue a diversified strategy. At present, Cruise has obtained a commercial license for nightless taxis in San Francisco, opening up driverless ride-hailing services to the public. In China, "we have invested in the start-up Momenta, which will further enrich our technology reserves and tailor the next generation of autonomous driving solutions for the Chinese market," Berger stressed, "And our technology path is extensive and will give consumers the freedom of choice." ”
Asked about the current chip shortage crisis, Bai Li said bluntly, "According to our forecast, chip supply pressure will continue." The production process of chips is very long, the demand in the automotive and consumer electronics industries continues to grow, and the complexity and application scenarios of chips are also increasing, so chips are in short supply worldwide. ”
Globally, sufficient chip production capacity is important for the growth of the automotive industry. To this end, "we work directly with chip manufacturers to increase production capacity and reduce the risk to the business posed by the supply chain." "GM adopts a comprehensive strategy to manage the chip supply chain, improve the control of chip design, and simplify application scenarios." At present, we have achieved transparent and comprehensive control of the chip supply chain, and can realize the management of each link. (China Economic Network reporter Wang Yueyue)